Live Music Spotlight ::: Vampire Weekend at The Fox Theatre

Vampire Weekend

w. Jacuzzi Boys

Monday 05/05/14

Fox Theatre

Atlanta, GA

One thing is certain, Vampire Weekend fans know their lyrics. This entire sold out show was singalong 4,700 concert goers strong. This made for a great atmosphere that felt like a full on party. The mood was set from the beginning as the Brooklyn quartet came out to Drake's 'Worst Behavior'. In late 2013 Ezra Koenig reviewed the Canadian hip hop artist's latest release Nothing Was the Same for The Talkhouse. 

One song Koenig did listen to though was “Worst Behaviour” and was particularly taken by a specific line: the “motherf*****s never loved us” one.

“It really struck a chord,” Koenig explains. “There are SO many motherf*****s out there. I’ve been making music since I was seven years old (started with piano) so I’ve been betrayed more times than I can count. You know how many people talk s*** behind your back and then try to be your best friend over the course of 22 years in the industry?? Drake only got into music like five years ago, so if you see how angry he is — IMAGINE HOW I FEEL.” 

The overall review made headlines on music blogs, becoming more of a story than it was. It's awesome and laughable that they come out to this song, as it is a great mood setter, the band has had many questions as they took a meteoric rise, and it's a kind of wink and nod at the whole thing. 

After taking the stage and a quick lap around, the group quickly broke into their first single, 'Diane Young',  off their latest critically acclaimed album Modern Vampires of the City, which received 2013's best album of the year from multiple publications including Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and Slant Magazine. This was a song, as well traveled and rehearsed as they are, we wondered how well it would come across live with the voice inflections and modulations. That turned out to be a silly question as it blew the roof off and set the night into a furious dance party. 

As they did for most of the night, the baroque rock group jumped  between their three albums with White Sky coming next off their sophomore release Contra. This song had more energy live thank comes across your home speakers. You didn't have to wait for the first lyrics, "As a young girl" to come from Ezra's lips to get a feverish response from the crowd, as many of their songs do, the opening guitar riff sets about a chain reaction. This was the case for 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa'. Returning to their newer material with 'Unbelievers' (video below). The theme heavy song was a fan favorite. As lead singer Ezra Koenig told NME: "Even though that song has some heavy themes about trying to figure out your place in the world and what you believe in and how your beliefs affect your relationships to other people, we don't mind goofing off a little bit." 

Follow us after the jump to see more from Vampire Weekend's Atlanta show, setlist, and future US tour dates!